Terms starting with S

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• Sadomasochism 18+Kink & BDSMThe consensual giving (sadism) or receiving (masochism) of intense sensation or controlled discomfort for pleasure or emotional release.
• Safer sexSTIsSafer sex means choices that lower the chance of passing on STIs or having an unplanned pregnancy, such as using condoms, testing, vaccination and PrEP.
• Safety planningConsent & boundariesSafety planning is working out practical steps to reduce risk for someone experiencing abuse, stalking or threats, whether they plan to stay, leave or have already left.
• Safety shears 18+Kink & BDSMBlunt-tipped medical scissors kept within reach during bondage so that restraints can be cut quickly and safely in an emergency.
• Safeword 18+Kink & BDSMA pre-agreed word or signal that immediately pauses or stops a scene, chosen so it cannot be confused with in-character protest.
• Same-gender lovingOrientationsA term created within Black communities in the United States for people attracted to the same gender, as an alternative to labels seen as rooted in white-led movements.
• SapiosexualOrientationsDescribes someone who finds intelligence the most attractive quality in a person. It is usually a stated preference rather than an orientation.
• ScabiesSTIsScabies is an itchy skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin, spread by prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including during sex.
• Scene 18+Kink & BDSMA single, bounded period of kink play with a beginning and an end; 'the scene' can also mean the kink community as a whole.
• ScrotumBody & healthThe scrotum is the pouch of skin and muscle behind the penis that holds the testicles and helps keep them at the right temperature.
• Secure attachmentPsychology of intimacySecure attachment describes a relatively settled way of relating in which a person is comfortable with closeness, can depend on others and can also cope with time apart.
• Self-disclosurePsychology of intimacySelf-disclosure is the act of sharing personal information, thoughts or feelings with another person, and it is one of the main ways closeness develops.
• Self-samplingSTIsSelf-sampling is when a person takes their own swab, urine or finger-prick blood sample at home or in a clinic and sends it to a laboratory for STI testing.
• Sensate focusPsychology of intimacySensate focus is a structured set of touching exercises used in sex therapy to reduce pressure and anxiety and help partners pay attention to sensation rather than performance.
• Sensation play 18+Kink & BDSMKink play that focuses on creating particular physical sensations, such as contrasts of temperature or texture, or on removing senses with blindfolds.
• Serial monogamyRelationships & datingA pattern of having a series of monogamous relationships, one after another, rather than several at the same time.
• SerodiscordantSTIsSerodiscordant describes a relationship in which one partner is living with HIV and the other is not.
• Service submission 18+Kink & BDSMA submissive orientation focused on the satisfaction of being useful or looking after a partner, for example through tasks, errands or rituals of care.
• Sex assigned at birthGender & identityThe sex, usually female or male, recorded for a baby at birth, typically based on the appearance of the external genitals.
• Sex positivityPsychology of intimacySex positivity is an attitude that treats consensual sexuality as a healthy part of life and respects people's different choices, including choosing little or no sex.
• Sex therapyPsychology of intimacySex therapy is a form of talking therapy that helps individuals and couples with sexual concerns, such as low desire, pain, performance worries or differences between partners.
• SextingConsent & boundariesSexting is exchanging sexually suggestive messages, photos or videos, typically by phone or app.
• SextortionConsent & boundariesSextortion is blackmail that threatens to share intimate images or information unless the victim sends money, more images or does something else they do not want to do.
• Sexual assaultConsent & boundariesSexual assault is any sexual act or contact carried out without a person's consent. Legal definitions and categories differ between countries.
• Sexual dysfunctionBody & healthSexual dysfunction is a broad term for persistent problems with desire, arousal, orgasm or pain that cause a person distress.
• Sexual fluidityOrientationsThe observation that some people's attractions change over time or depend on circumstances, rather than staying fixed throughout life.
• Sexual harassmentConsent & boundariesSexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that violates a person's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating environment.
• Sexual health checkBody & healthA sexual health check is a routine visit, often to a sexual health clinic, to test for STIs and talk about contraception, vaccines, PrEP and any concerns about sexual or reproductive health.
• Sexual health clinicSTIsA sexual health clinic is a specialist service offering confidential STI testing and treatment, contraception, PrEP and PEP, and advice about sexual wellbeing.
• Sexual orientationOrientationsA lasting pattern of sexual attraction, or lack of it, towards people of particular genders. It is part of who someone is, not a choice of behaviour.
• Sexual rightsConsent & boundariesSexual rights are human rights as they apply to sexuality, such as the right to bodily integrity, to choose a partner, to decide whether to have children and to access sexual health information and care.
• Sexual scriptsPsychology of intimacySexual scripts are the shared cultural expectations about who does what, when and why in romantic and sexual situations.
• Sexual shamePsychology of intimacySexual shame is a painful sense that one's sexual feelings, body, desires or history make one bad, dirty or unworthy.
• Shoot your shotDating-app slang & abbreviationsSlang for making a move: telling someone you like them or asking them out, even though they might say no.
• SideDating-app slang & abbreviationsUsed mostly among gay and bisexual men to describe someone who enjoys intimacy but prefers not to have penetrative sex, identifying as neither top nor bottom.
• SimpDating-app slang & abbreviationsMocking slang for someone seen as overly attentive, devoted or generous towards a person they are attracted to, especially when it is not reciprocated.
• Singular theyGender & identityThe use of they, them and their to refer to one person, either when their gender is unknown or because it is the pronoun they use.
• SituationshipRelationships & datingAn undefined romantic or sexual connection that is more than a friendship but has no agreed label or commitment.
• Slide into DMsDating-app slang & abbreviationsTo send someone a private direct message (DM) on social media, usually to flirt or start a romantic conversation.
• Slow burnDating-app slang & abbreviationsA connection that builds gradually, with attraction and feelings growing over time rather than sparking instantly.
• Slow fadeRelationships & datingGradually reducing contact and interest until a connection ends, instead of saying so directly.
• Sneaky linkDating-app slang & abbreviationsA casual partner someone meets up with secretly, keeping the connection hidden from friends, social media or sometimes a partner.
• Sober-curiousDating-app slang & abbreviationsDescribes someone choosing to drink little or no alcohol, out of interest in how they feel without it, rather than necessarily for recovery.
• Social transitionGender & identityThe non-medical steps of transition, such as using a new name and pronouns, changing clothing or hairstyle, and telling others about one's gender.
• Soft launchRelationships & datingHinting at a new relationship on social media without fully revealing the partner, for example by posting a hand or a second plate at dinner.
• Soft limits 18+Kink & BDSMActivities someone is hesitant about or would only try under specific conditions, as opposed to a firm refusal.
• Solo polyamoryRelationships & datingA way of practising polyamory in which a person has meaningful relationships but prioritises independence, often without a live-in or primary partner.
• Speed datingRelationships & datingAn organised event where single people have a series of short, timed conversations with potential partners, then indicate who they would like to see again.
• SpermicideContraceptionSpermicide is a gel, foam, film or pessary placed in the vagina before sex that contains a chemical which stops sperm from moving.
• Split attraction modelOrientationsThe idea that different kinds of attraction, especially sexual and romantic, can point in different directions and can be described with separate labels.
• Spontaneous desirePsychology of intimacySpontaneous desire is sexual interest that seems to arise on its own, before any touch or intimate situation, often prompted by thoughts or cues.
• SSC (safe, sane and consensual) 18+Kink & BDSMAn early BDSM community motto stating that kink should be safe, undertaken in a sound state of mind, and consensual.
• StalkingConsent & boundariesStalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention or contact that causes fear, alarm or distress, such as following, monitoring, messaging or turning up uninvited.
• StashingDating-app slang & abbreviationsWhen someone you are dating keeps you hidden from their friends, family and social media, without an agreed reason.
• StealthingConsent & boundariesStealthing is removing or deliberately damaging a condom during sex without the partner's knowledge or agreement.
• SterilisationContraceptionSterilisation is a surgical procedure intended to permanently prevent pregnancy, by blocking or removing the fallopian tubes or by cutting the tubes that carry sperm.
• STISTIsA sexually transmitted infection is an infection passed from one person to another mainly through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex and sometimes close skin-to-skin contact.
• STI testingSTIsSTI testing means checking for sexually transmitted infections, usually with urine samples, swabs or blood tests, even when there are no symptoms.
• StonewallingPsychology of intimacyStonewalling is withdrawing from a conversation or conflict by going silent, looking away or refusing to engage, leaving the other person without a response.
• STRDating-app slang & abbreviationsShort for "short-term relationship": dating or seeing someone for a limited or undefined period without planning long-term commitment.
• Subdrop 18+Kink & BDSMA low mood, tiredness or emotional crash that a submissive or bottom may feel hours or days after intense play.
• Submissive 18+Kink & BDSMIn kink, the person who consensually yields control to a partner in a power exchange, within agreed limits.
• Subspace 18+Kink & BDSMAn altered, often floaty or trance-like state of mind some submissives or bottoms experience during intense play.
• Sugar datingDating-app slang & abbreviationsA dating arrangement where one person, usually older and wealthier, provides money, gifts or support to a younger partner in exchange for companionship and often intimacy.
• SurvivorConsent & boundariesSurvivor is a term many people use for someone who has experienced sexual or domestic violence, emphasising resilience and agency.
• SwingingRelationships & datingA form of consensual non-monogamy in which committed couples engage in sexual activity with other people, often together or at social events.
• SwipingDating-app slang & abbreviationsMoving through dating profiles by swiping on a phone screen: in most apps, right means yes and left means no.
• Switch 18+Kink & BDSMSomeone who enjoys both dominant and submissive roles, or both top and bottom roles, depending on partner, mood or situation.
• SyphilisSTIsSyphilis is a bacterial STI that develops in stages, often starting with a painless sore, and is curable with antibiotics, usually penicillin.